By Yomi Kareem
As the 2019 general elections draw close, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has charged its Public Affairs Officers to step up their games, as the electoral process is knowledge driven.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Enugu State, Dr Emeka Ononamadu, while declaring open, a one-day workshop organized for the Public Affairs Officers of the Commission across the thirty six (36) states and the Federal Capital Territory, in Enugu state, described the workshop as apt and vital to the success of the 2019 general elections.
Represented by the Administrative Secretary in the state, Mr Eyinnaya Onyekwere, the REC noted that the electoral process is currently knowledge driven. He said the workshop was in line with the Commission’s Election Project Plan as it aimed at empowering the participants with the required knowledge and skills to promote sound knowledge of the electoral process.
The REC, implored the participants to take advantage of the workshop to improve their knowledge and capacity to project the image of the Commission in order to have a successful 2019 general election.
The Director, Voter Education and Publicity Department, Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, represented by the Deputy Director, Publicity, Aliyu Bello, challenged the participants thus: “the Commission expects only the best from you. You in collaboration with respective management in the state offices owe Nigerians the duty to inform, enlighten and educate all stakeholders on processes and procedures for the 2019 elections.
“Your duty to inform and enlighten citizens on innovations to transform and improve the process should be pursued with vigour. You must ensure that you work tirelessly to promote effective and enlightened participation in the process, including Youths, Women and the IDPs.
“As you all are aware the Commission has launched a Framework on Access and Participation to enhance the participation of Persons Living with Disabilities in the electoral process and will soon come up with a framework on IDP voting. Such innovations need to be highlighted in your engagement with media”
The Director VEP harped on the need to tackle fake news in the electoral process. He said: “You find that most time the social media is at the forefront of breaking the news but unless care is taken some of the ‘breaking news’ when they break on social media platforms, they break incorrectly.
“In election management, news that relates to results duly break only after the declaration by designated Returning Officers at all levels. So, you have a duty to draw the attention of management to clarify issues raised in the new media especially as it relates to fake news. I trust the workshop will focus on this area and many more”.
Speaking on the ‘Effective use of Social Media in Voter Education and Public Enlightenment’, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, noted that no amount of money can be adequate for voter education and advertisement by the Commission due size and spread of the country, hence recommending that the use of the social media to educate and enlighten the general public in the electoral process is key.
